How do you appeal to a zebra?
by Lovelorn Lindsey
Summary: A warped scene from Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa; Alex appeals to the herd of zebras, looking directly for Marty and Marty alone. How special is Marty, anyway? Alex/Marty


**Title: **How to appeal to a zebra**  
Fandom: **Madagascar**  
Pairing(s): **Alex/Marty**  
Warning: **Homosexuality, interspecies, furries**  
Rated:** E for Everyone**  
Summary:** A warped scene from Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa; Alex appeals to the herd of zebras, looking directly for Marty and Marty alone. How special is Marty, anyway?

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While Alex desperately appealed to the herd of zebras, Marty turned his back, swishing his tail angrily. As if on cue, the rest of the herd mimicked him, whether they realized it or not, that made Marty even more irate. However, he was mentally exhausted and he kept his mouth shut as the herd shouted his name, "Which one of us is Marty? Is Marty here?" At first, he'd considered joining them and dismissed the thought as soon as it'd appeared. There was a chance his New Yorker twang would tip his ex-best friend off, and that wouldn't do. The zebras all had the same voice and looks, but not the same thoughts or ways of expression, a minor comfort in a wave of malcontent.

If Alex _really_ was sorry, then he could tell Marty out from the hides of the others. It was childish, yes, but he had _some_ right; he was hurt. Marty set his jaw, unwilling to speak as Alex continued. He didn't listen to about half of it. He concentrated on not galloping away, like he did with most problems. That was one thing Alex got right, Marty was no help in serious matters. To be fair, though, Alex was no help, either. He considered himself first.

For a moment, his eyes stung and he shook his head delicately and surely, hoping not to bring attention to himself. Not that Alex would have been able to pick up on it, lions were color blind, after all. "Off the reserve!" his neighboring equines said from whispers to shouts. The word "crazy" soon followed, as well as "killed," and they brought Marty paralyzing fear for his fri—_ex_-best friend.

"What kind of friend does that make me?" Alex sighed emphatically, "A pretty lousy one, I guess…" the lion trailed away. What else was there to say?

Lousy _indeed_, Marty fumed, though the coals beneath his anger were cooling, turning gray and dusty with forgiveness. Yet, he fanned the fire; he wasn't going to make it easy! The crowd moved forward as Alex took those few steps over the border and into unprotected territory. He turned.

"Well, I just want you to know that I…you're one in a million." Alex sucked the air into his chest for courage—being an animal that represented courage didn't help as much as it should have. A strange look passed over his face. "So, can you please turn around so I can tell you that to your face?"

Marty raised his head; was he the only one with his back turned? Unlikely. "That's right, gotcha!" Or not.

"I see ya in there, yeah, _you_, that's right, _you_, right there." The sea of black and white parted after Alex's words. Marty wished he could believe them, but he needn't wish long. "Twelfth row, two hundred and…" Alex counted under his breath, "_third_ from the left. That's you, Marty."

The equine turned his head unbelievingly, how could he have known? His ears twitched in the savannah sun. Finally, he allowed a blisteringly warm smile.

"I know it's you. You know what makes you special?" Alex asked, twirling a flippant paw, and then spanned his arms out to signify whom he was talking about and in a welcoming gesture for Marty. "These guys…they're white with black stripes. You're black with white stripes!" he gestured towards his friend hopefully, grinning when Marty raised his brows.

"You're a dreamer, Marty, always have been." Here, Marty raised a doubtful brow as Alex barreled on. "You have great taste in music," Marty's grin grew, if that was possible, because it was absolutely true, his taste was crackalackin'. "and a horrible taste in friends." The large feline concluded, paused to think about it and went on anyway, "Not Melman and Gloria, but…_me_."

Marty rose to his hind hooves, opening his chops to say something, but Alex interrupted him. "And…you're special because…" Alex bit his lip, terrified of rejection. "I love _you_."

Marty's heart fluttered in his chest, and he smirked, raising his brows. Instantly, he had Alex in a bone-breaking embrace. "Thanks, Alex…" he murmured, "For apologizing…and,"

"Yeah…" Alex sighed, nuzzling his best friend's face. "I know."

"Okay, I'm in!"

"What!" Alex held the zebra at an arm's distance. "You can't, it's too dangerous…"

Marty snorted and huffed, pushing Alex's arms away easily. "I don't believe you have a choice!" The two shared a knowing look as Marty fell back onto all fours. They started off, the herd jostling and crying over the touching scene they had been honored to witness. Alex nudged Marty none too gently—they were still friends, even if one had confessed an emotion more than that. They went on like that, pushing and prodding each other as they went, until they were tired and had to take a short break deep inside the forest.

"Hey, Alex…" Marty breathed.

"Mmm?" Alex panted for breath, to cool himself. He lay next to Marty as comfortably as you please.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"That you, ya know, love me?"

"Well, yeah. Why would I lie?"

"For quick forgiveness, seeing how it worked so well…"

"As if I'd known you would've fallen for anything like that!" Alex puffed indignantly, and deflated. "But, yeah, I meant it. I meant it a lot…i-it's fine if you don't feel the same way. Don't feel obligated to…ya know." He sat up, peering at the still resting zebra by his side.

"Nawh!" Marty grunted. "I _don't _feel obligated."

Alex beamed, "Really, then does that mean that you…?"

"Feel the same way?" Marty looked away self-consciously, licking his maw silently. "I don't know."

Alex's smile didn't lose any of it's rays. "That's good 'nuff for me." He purred and nuzzled the side of Marty's head, his tail swishing happily. Marty closed his eyes, resting a hoof atop his friend's silky mane, and sighed,

"Me too."

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A/N: Done on a request. Chaosgirl08 provided this idea, so believe you, me, I ain't no genius. BTW, Aoi, you're one lucky mother, I don't usually take requests. But, here you go, just for you, my friend. Enjoy it as much as humanly possible.


End file.
